An age-old meeting place in Winnipeg, Manitoba offers dining, shopping, entertainment and other attractions in a public space rich with history

The area in the centre of Winnipeg, Manitoba at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers has been a meeting place for thousands of years. Today, the 54 acres known as The Forks is listed on the Winnipeg tourism site as one of the top 10 things to do and remains a popular meeting spot.

Part of the skateboard park with a view of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in the background

The Forks Market

Originally two adjacent stables for competing railway companies in the early 1900s now joined by a courtyard and bridges, the Forks Market houses a fresh food emporium, a food court with a varied choice of foods and shops selling a range of goods including crafts, jewelry, clothing, crystals, souvenirs and artwork. When you enter the building, scents of baked bread, chocolate and spices are likely to whet your appetite.

Inside The Forks Market

Johnston Terminal

The Johnston terminal was once a cold storage railway warehouse. It is now home to unique boutiques, offices, a pub and a cafe.

Canopy at The Forks

The Forks Market Plaza between the Forks Market and the Johnston Terminal is home to a number of patio restaurants and the Canopy which serves as a performance space in the summers and is the location of a number of events. My personal favourite is Salsa Sundays, which takes place on a few Sunday evenings in summer. People bring lawn chairs and set up around the perimeter of the canopy watch, listen and dance. The evening usually starts with dance demonstrations by professional dancers, followed by a dance lesson for the group (a different Latin dance is featured each Sunday) and then a couple of hours of live band music for listening and dancing pleasure. In the winter the space is home to an artificially cooled skating rink.

The Forks National Historic Site Park

The Forks National Historic Site is a 9-acre riverside park operated by Parks Canada and dedicated to preserving and presenting the 6,000-year history of human presence at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

Archaeological investigations show that aboriginal groups were active at The Forks thousands of years ago. The first Europeans arrived by canoe. In 1738, La Vérendrye, a French-Canadian explorer, erected Fort Rouge, the first of many forts and trading posts in the area. The Forks was the hub of the fur trade until the 1880s when grain production became the primary industry. Starting in 1886, the area became a key site for railroad development on the prairies, with rail yards of several competing companies dominating the site. In the 1980s, a plan to renew the area was developed. The Forks opened in 1989. Many expansions and improvements have been made over the years since then to produce the current day site.

As you walk through The Forks park,various plaques and signboards give you a mini-history lesson

View across the Red River to St. Boniface, Winnipeg’s French quarter

Parks Canada Playground encourages imaginative play

History theme is continued into the playground

Part of the Prairie Garden, which contains over 150 native species

Pathways lead from the site to the Assiniboine Riverwalk, which passes by the Forks and continues to the foot of the Manitoba Legislature. Although the Riverwalk is open at the time of publishing this post, high water levels result in frequent closures of the walk.

The Forks Historic Rail Bridge

The Forks Historic Rail Bridge allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross to the south side of the Assiniboine River. The bridge was originally built in 1888 and was abandoned for many years before being converted to its current state. It is also the optimum spot to see the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.

The Assiniboine River meets the Red River

Preparations at the Festival Park and Stage for an upcoming festival

Dock area at The Forks

You can rent a canoe, dock your boat as you visit the Forks, or take a scenic half-hour river tour . The Forks is one of the stops along the River Spirit water bus route. In the winter, you can bring your skates or skis to the Red River Mutual Trail, the Guiness World-record holding longest naturally frozen skating trail in the world.

With so much to offer, it is no surprise The Forks remains a popular meeting spot.

Betsy, I’ve visited The Forks many times, for different reasons, and knew there was a lot there, but really came to appreciate the mix of activities when I wrote this post – there just seemed to be more and more to say,

I am a big fan of parks in the middle of a city, and The Forks seems to have it all – green spaces, market, recreation areas, museums and at the same time preserving the heritage of the site.
Well done Winnipeg!

Kay, I’ve taken to spending the winters someplace warmer so I haven’t done the skating trail either. I would like to. The last couple of years they’ve had architectural competitions for the warming huts along the trail. There have been some interesting and unusual huts set up.

Hi Donna. This looks like a great place to spend the day. I love that view of the river. I was in Winnipeg back in the early 90s. I was working a conference, so didn’t have a lot of time to sight see. One of these days maybe I’ll get back.

Great tour Donna. What comprehensive use they’ve made of the space at The Forks. Literally something for everyone. I love to see old historical buildings converted to new use, and I love that you’ve shared that history with us. I’m learning through your posts that Winnipeg offers a lot to see!

I like The Forks. Have never seen this historic site, but just from your pictures and description I’d like to visit it. It seems it has a little of everything. Thank you for sharing this post and thank you for joining us for The Weekly Postcard.